Invalid&#39;s bed



March 14, 19% M. D. SEEM 2,500,744

INVALID S BED Filed Aug. 19, 1946 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 0 n H r N 1 INVENTOR(D N MAQVEL D 55E! ATTORNEY M. D. SEEM March 14, 195i) INVALIDS BED 8Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 19, 1946 INVENTOR MAQVEL D. BY gjfiwafiqATTORNEY 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 A TTbR/VziY M. D. BEEM INVALIDS BED March 14,1950 Filed Aug. 19, 1946 M. D. BEEM INVALIDS BED March 14,1950

Filed Aug. 19, 1946 8 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. M VEL D @EEM ATTORNEY March14, 1950 Filed Aug. 19, 1946 M. D. BEEM INVALIDS BED 8 Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTOR. NA FVEL. D. 1555M BY Z ATTORNEY March 14, 1950 M. D. BEEMINVALIDS BED 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 19, 1946 C'TITFITI'IP-llll'lllllllllllllllllll T llll llllSlllllllIllllllll win I V U) NINVENTOR. NAPVEL D. BEE/7 ATTORNEY March 14, 1950 Filed Aug. 19, 1946 M.D. BEEM INVALIDS BED 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 MARVEL D YJEEM ATTORNEY March 14,1950 M. D.BEEM 2,500,744

INVALIDS BED Filed Aug. 19, 1946 s Sheets-She'ei 8 :3 12,9 i 6 INVENTOR.

MARVEL D. 5

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 14, 1950 Z,5tt,744

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE INVALIDS BED.-

Marvel D; Beeni, Los Angeles, Calif, assignor'ofi one-half to The BeemFoundation, L'ossAngeles, Galif., a charitable trust of'Galifornia:

Application August 19, 1946, Serial.N 0.591.491,

17 Claims.

for attending. to. the. ordinary needs of. the patient. The use. of. abed. panre uires. considerable. time and effort on the part of anurse inlifting the patient onand off the pan. Proposals-have. heretofore beenmade to provide an:

invalids bed in which a.bed.pan or toilet would bearranged tocooperatewith an opening in the. bed. so. as to. make it unnecessary to. lift thepatients However, such. proposals have contemplated. the... location of.the bed pan or toilet in.

the. center of the bed, with the result that the patient would beforcedto rest and sleep: di-

rectly oven the toilet. opening, a definitely undesirable.characteristic.

My. inventioncontemplates arranging the. toilet mechanism at one sideof,the bed so as toleave the major area. of'thebedon the. other sidethereof} substantially unbroken. so as. to. provide. a comfortable,normal typeof resting surface. Such an arrangement, however, requiresva. shifting of the. patient from. the. normal resting area of the. bedto the. toilet seat area of. the bed, and in order. to avoid thenecessity for assistance from. a nurse in shifting from one side to theother, the inventioncontemplates the combination, with this generalarrangement of normal resting area and toilet mechanism on respectivesides of the bed, of a trapeze mechanism extending transverselyof thebed and adapted to be utilized by the patientLin shifting back and forthfrombne side to the other. This combination oftrapeze'mechanism with abed having a flushable toilet and a toilet seat restricted to. one sideof' the bed, and with the toilet seat in substantially'the same planewith, and forming a continuation of the normal resting surface, has

solved the problem of providing an invalids bed in which a patient maytake care of his needs without the assistance of a nurse.

Other'objects of the invention are: to provide aniinvalids'bed having a.permanently. associated trapeze" which is normally in. an inoperativepo- 2t sition, out of: the way; to provide an invalids bed'having a"trapeze which is normally associated with the head; of the bed, and ismovable from, this position to a position projected toward the foot ofthe'bed and spaced above the bed;

to provide an invalids'bed having a trapeze mechanism'including motordriven means for shiftingyth'e-trapeze from its inoperative position toits operative position and vice versa; to provide an invalids, bed inwhich the trapeze, in its inoperative position, does not obstruct thespaceabove the bed and therefore does not hinder the-efforts of a nursein changing the bed clothing; attendingtothe patient, etc.; to providean invalids bed-having a trapeze mechanism which, in addition to itsprimary function as a trapeze,

has the secondary function of supporting a bed lamp-in a desirableposition; and to' provide an invalids bed equipped" with a bed lamp unitwhich incorporates both a reading light and a source of ultravioletlight.

Other objects will become apparent in the ensuing specifications andappended drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of an invalids bed em bodying the invention, partsthereof being broken, away to better illustrate the trapeze mechanism;

Fig. 2, isa side elevation of the head end of the bed, showing, thetrapeze mechanism;

Fig. 3 isa transverse, sectional view of portions. of the bed taken asindicated by the line 33 of Fig. 2.;

Fig. 4 is aside view of the respective end portionsof an. invalids bedembodying a modified.

form of'the invention;

Fig. v5 is a transverse sectional View of the. same'taken on the. line 5--5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is. a side elevation of an invalids bed, embodying anothermodification of the, invention;

Fig. 7" is a transverse sectional view of the, bed shown in Fig. 6 takenon the, line l? of. Fig. 6,;

Fig. 8 is a schematic view of another'modified form of the invention;

Fig. 9. is a longitudinal sectional view of one end portion of' a bedembodying another modification of the invention;

Fig. 10, is a transverse sectional view of bed shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 1.1, is a. longitudinal sectional view. through portions. of thebed'lamp of'Figs. 1, 2 and 3.;

Fig 12 is. a transverse sectional view of the bed lamp taken on. theline l2--|,2 of Fig. 11;.

Fig; 13 is a. transverse, sectional view of the the bed lamp taken onthe line iii-13 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a transverse sectional View of the bed lamp taken on the lineI4I4 of Fig. 11; Fig. is a side view of another modification of theinvention, and

major portion of the width of the bed on one side thereof, and the areaB occupying a minor portion of the area of the bed on the other side Theportion A of the bed bottom is thereof. subdivided into three inclinablesections thereof,

shown at c, d and e, and the toilet portion B of the bed is likewisesubdivided into three sections,

' corresponding to the mattress sections 0', d and 2 thereof.

tions appear in the drawings, they are indicated by the referencecharacters C, D, E, C, D and Where these various bed bottom sec E,corresponding respectively to the mattress sections, 0, d, e, c and e.These bed bottom sections are adapted to occupy positions disclosed,

in a common plane or to be elevated to reclining seat positions as shownin Fig. 6. The section D is formed to provide an opening 8 with which atoilet, indicated in dotted lines at l3 in Fig. 1, is adapted tocooperate. The toilet is provided with mechanism for elevating it froman inoperative position beneath the bed to a position cooperating withthe opening 8, and suitable means is provided for raising a cover forthe opening 8 and with it, the mattress section (1' so as to uncoverthis opening and provide for the toilet i3 being presented for use.

The supporting structure of the bed includes a number of fixedlongitudinal rails such as the rails shown at II, II and H" in Fig. 5.These rails are suitably secured, as at 2, to the head and foot of thebed. The normal resting portion of the bed bottom is supported upon asub frame It through the medium of rollers 14 traveling in transversetracks l5 secured to the rails H and H. This permits the entire normalresting portion of the bed to be shifted laterally. as a unit, from thebed onto an ambulating cart for transporting the patient from the bed toother parts of a hospital.

Side panels I9 and 2!) connect the head 9 and foot Hi to form a cabinetstructure beneath the bed bottom, within which the operating mechanismof the bed is contained. The panels 19 and 2f] are spaced from the railsH, i!" and from the side extremities of the bed bottom sections, toprovide spaces 2| through which the trapeze mechanism may operate.

The trapeze of Figs. 1-3 comprises an inverted U-shaped yoke, preferablyof tubular material,

, having a horizontal hand bar 22, a pair of normally vertical side arms23, and a pair of normally horizontal side arms 35. In a normal,inoperative postion of the trapeze, shown in Fig.

2, the hand bar 22 extends directly over the head 9 of the bed, thevertical side arms 23 embrace the side edges of the head 9, and thehorizontal side arms extend alongside the panels 59 and 29, below thelevel of the bed bottom and mattress sections. The end of one of theside arms 36 is attached, by means. of a fitting H, to a transverseshaft 31 which is journaled in bearings 38 and I8 supported by the railmembers I l and II respectively. The shaft 31 extends only beneath thenormal resting area A of the bed, in order to avoid interference withthe elevating mechanism for the toilet l3, and the trapeze arm on thetoilet side of the bed is directly journaled in a bearing Hi. Thebearing 38 is shown as a self-aligning bearing, to avoid binding of theshaft 3'! in its bearings.

Operating mechanism for the trapeze includes a crank arm 39 secured tothe shaft 3'! and extending downwardly, and a motor unit which may be ofa hydraulic type as shown in Fig. 2, including a shaft H pivoted at 48to the arm 33 and a hydraulic cylinder 43 in which a piston on the endof the shaft 4! operates. Suitable hydraulic connections (of aconventional nature and therefore not shown) may be utilized foractuating the motor 4!, 43. As the shaft 4! is drawn into the cylinder43, the trapeze will be swung in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig.2, about the axis of the bearings I8, 38, bringing the bar 22 forwardlyand upwardly to a position traversing the bed above the forward area ofthe back rest sections C and C of the bed bottom. This makes it possiblefor the patient to grasp the bar 22, and to lift himself sufliciently tomove transversly in the bed from the normal resting portion A to thetoilet seat portion B and vice versa. The motor ll, 43 and arm 39 aredisposed substantially centrally between the remote sides of the bed inorder to properly center the application of power between the respectivesides of the trapeze.

The side arms 23 are continued above the trapeze bar 22, as at lili.Carried by the ends of the arm portions Hi i, which are curved forwardlyas shown in Fig. 2, is a bed lamp which is indicated generally at E02.This bed lamp is shown in detail in Figs. 11 to 14 inclusive, and willbe described in detail hereinafter.

Fig. 8 shows a somewhat modified form of the trapeze of Figs. 1, 2 and3, in schematic form. Fig. 8 also illustrates electrical mechanism foroperating the trapeze, together with means for automatically cutting oilthe power at the respective limits of trapeze movement. Parts that aresimilar to those shown in Figs. 1 to 3 are indicated by correspondingreference numerals, with the letter a appended. The elevated position ofthe trapeze is shown in dotted lines. The power mechanism includes asleeve 48a which is pivoted to a lower end of the arm 39a. Looselyextending through the sleeve 40a is a threaded rod Ma which has securedto its end a stop collar 48 that engages the sleeve 40a for transmittingelevating movement to the trapeze. In the retracting operation, thetrapeze moves downwardly by gravity, following the movement of the shaftMa but is not positively moved thereby. Consequently, in the event apatient or tenant should have a limb caught between the trapeze and thehead of the bed, the pressure exerted would be only the weight of thetrapeze and would not be great enough to result in injury. The shaft Maforms a part of a screw jack including an internally threaded sleeve 43ainto which the shaft Ma is threaded, reduction gearing 44, and anelectric motor 45 for driving the reduction gearing M. The reductiongearing M and motor t5 are pivoted at 46 in a bracket 4? on the head 9of the bed. The motor 45 is a reversible motor, and its operation in onedirection will raise the trapeze to the operative, dotted line position,while operation in the other direction will 5 Forward=and--r.eversec-irouitsiil and 52:respectively, fun-energizing the motor 45, are.controlled 'through push" button switches in a-controlrbox 53.A-suitable= source of'electric current is indi- 'cated-atid. When thetrapeze arrives-at itsupper ,limit of'movement, the circuit #52 will bebroken by theengagement by an earm 3611' with a limit 'switch"-5 5,which --is in the 'circui-t =-52. When the trapeze, in its returnmovement, reache itslowf-ered position; the circuit-5 I will berbroken'by the engagement, *by-ra-n ar-m Ma -with a limit switch "56 which'is'in the circuit?! I A---pair-of arms-Mw-and '42, pivoted to each "other;are connected to the shaft 3 Ia :and arms "Na-respectively.

Another' arrangement embodying the principles o'fithe inventio is shownin Figs an'd' 5, wherein "the hand bar -22b-is projected from "aposition above "the head "9b of the bed, not by swinging "arms 231:about a "fixed axis, "but, instead, by.

--ra-ising the lower 'endsof the "arms '23b'whil-e caus'ingintermediate;pivots 2-1 onthe armsZSb-to :swing inarcuate paths, guidedbylinks "Z fi whioh -a;re;pivoted-to-the pivots '21andto pivots '28 ont-he'head 9b. 'Thehand bar 221) and side arms lines in Fig. 4. The endsof thearrns-are cn- "heated through links 33-tothe lower ends of' the"arms 23b.

-'Norma1ly=-the-trapeze will bedisposed'ina posiftion in'whichthe handbar ZED-extends along the upper edge of the "head =9!) and *the arms 2%extend downwardly along the side :edges of the head-9b. The arms "23bare'accommodate'd in the spaces ZI between the panels-I9 'an'd 20 andthebed-section C (Figs?) Operation of" the motordBb (which is a reversiblemotor) to swing firearms- 3 2 counter-clockwise from the "dotteddinepositions to the full line positions-shown in 'Fig. 4-will move'thelowerends 'Ofthe arms 23b upwardly causing the arms-26b te-swingupwardlyabout their pivots it.

Asithe trapeze thus moves upwardly, the lower ends :of the arms 123?)will trackin the slots 25 and J'the hand bar 1221) :will be projectedtoward "the foot-ofthebe'd 'to the positionshown in full :lines in Fig.*4. In this projected position, the hand bar 221) will be supported bythe arms 26, acting'in-tensiomandthe arms 2-3b,.actingin com- -pression,and-the weightofapatient maybe im- "posed upon the hand 'bar 22b.

A'variationof the general arrangementof Figs. 44 :andn5 :is shown inFigsudand "I. :Fig. 6 also SFVBS to disclose "the approximate positionof the hand bar 220 with relation "to the bed bottom "sec'tions q D E,in'their reclining positions. 'relative positions-of the hand bar andthe bottom sections are substantially the same in all formsoftheinvention'in order that theweight of the patient slbody may' besubstantially rcentered *beneath the hand :bar when the patientiis inithe raised positions.

in channelshaped sheaths t3 thatrare secured to the head'of' the bed.'Links'ZS, arranged similarly vtoithoseshowni in Fig. 4, :connect the.intermediate regions of'lthe side arms 23zto the upperzcorners ofthe-:head'ifl. At IthelloWenends oiithe sheaths .63.;arexgear16asingsE4: in whichworm geargfiE on :the lower ends of the shafts tiara meshedwith worms 65 on a'shaft E! which is driven by an electric motor .68.,The studs 24 extendthrough slots 69 inxthe sidesgof the sheaths .53.

Operation :of vtheamotor .53. causes the nuts 6 Into travelverticallyon-the-shafts 52. The motor "68 isareversible motor-sothat'the nuts iii maybe driven either upwardly or downwardly to projector retract the trapeze.

in the 'retractedposition the trapeze liesadjacenttocthe innerrface ofthe head B0 of "the bed. Theprojected position is shownin Fig. 6.

As shown in Fig. 6, the'bedbotto1n' includes leg and thigh sections, E,and D hinged to eachother at 5, and-a back 're'stsection C hinged at'lfi to the thigh section and to thesub frame I6 and fixed frame rails'lI' and I I".

Mechanism for elevating the back sections C and the thigh .sectionsDmayinclude apair of arms 18 and T9 having rollers 88 engaging "theundersides "of the sections D. and C and mounted upon shafts :18!:andxilZ which are'suspended'beheath thefixed'frame I8. Secured to therespectivegshafts 8i and 82 arearms 83 and 84 which extend downwardly.Screw jacks units 85 and 85 are connected at their respective ends'tothe arms 3.83 and .84 and to'the frame l8, and are driven byreversibleelectric motors 8! to move the arms i8, i9 upwardly or downwardly. Intheir lowered positions the arms I3, I9 lie'below the-planeoftranslational movement of the removable bed section so as :not tointerfere with suchremoval.

Another arrangement incorporating the principles of the invention isdisclosed in Figs-9 and 10. Inrthis arrangement, the hand yoke includesa trapeze bar 2202, having side armsiflild that are provided with rackteeth '9 I Thearms 2311 are of 'arcuate, segmental, circular'form, and'are mounted for circumferential movement between drive pinions 92 andguide rollers 93 and 94 in the'head 8d of the bed. In

the retracted :position of the trapeze, the arms .2 Marc substantially.entirely enclosed'within the headiQd, and occupy the positions indicatedin dotted lines. In "the projectedposition shown in 'full lines in :Fig.9, Y the arms 2311 are supported :at theilowercends between therollersQES-andM and the:'pinions..92. Rollers 'lI mounted in forks in the=lowerends of the :arms 23d, may be *arrangejdito rollupon arcua'te tracks I2in thehead 9d, to aid "in supporting the trapeze for smooth ;movement in.its ilower :positions.

The: drive pinions 92are mounted upon a commonshaftSB which is drivenfrom a motor 95 through reduction gearing -91 'shown :in dotted lines inFig. :10.

One of ithe advantages of this form of the i invention is :the ifactthat the side arms "of the trapeze are substantially :comp'letely housedin :the "retracted position of the trapeze. Since the head 9d must haveconsiderable 'denth from front to -li-'eal sin order to accommodate thearcuate arms 23d, athe l extra space "within the 'head 9d partitions I II necting the sprockets I2! and I22.

may be utilized to accommodate cabinets 98 having doors 99 hinged atIflfl to permit access to the cabinets by the patient occupying the bed.

Referring now to Figs. 11 to 14 inclusive, the bed lamp I02 comprises atubular casing I93, generally triangular in shape, having its endssecured in caps I04 which are provided with sockets I95 in which theends of the trapeze arm portions IQI, extending toward each other inaxial alignment, are journaled and secured by trunnions I06. Coilsprings I61 are interposed, under compression, between heads I38 on theends of the trunnions Hi6, and sockets I89 in end members I40 that aresecured to the caps Hi l. The springs IBI provide yielding frictionalclutching connections which permit the lamp to be adjusted to variouspositions about the axis of the trunnions lot, and function to retainthe lamp in any adjusted position.

Between the caps IM is a pair of intermediate Between the partitions IIIand the end members IIiJ are defined reading lamp chambers II2 and H3.Between the partitions III is defined an ultraviolet lamp chamber H4. Insockets H5 carried by the end members IIEI and partitions IIIrespectively, are mounted fluorescent lamp units I26. Between thepartitions III, on brackets II I secured thereto, is mounted anultraviolet lamp unit H8. Below the ultraviolet lamp unit II8 the casingI533 is provided with an opening I I9 to permit the ultra violet rays topass, unimpeded, downwardly upon the body of a patient. The rays fromthe reading lamp units I2?) pass through the end portions of the windowI I6, which is formed of a translucent, plastic material capable oftransmitting the rays.

In Figs. and 16 I have shown an arrange ment similar to that of Figs. 1and 2, with the exception that both ends of the trapeze arms 35c aredriven. The drive mechanism includes a motor 45c, reduction gearing 366,a. shaft 296, sprockets I2I on the shaft 29c, aligned sprockets I22 onthe trunnions He, and chains I23 con- This arranm=- ment leaves thespace between the sprockets I22 clear so as to avoid interference withthe toilet mechanism, while providing a drive to both ends of thetrapeze.

most cases.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a bed, a fixed frame including a head anda foot, a trapeze including a hand bar and a pair of side arms formingtogether with said hand bar a substantially inverted U-shaped yoke, andmeans attaching said yoke to said fixed frame with said hand barextending transversely of the bed, for movement from an inoperativeposition wherein said hand bar'is positioned adjacent the upper edge ofsaid head and said side arms extend along the side extremities of saidhead, to a position in which said hand bar is projected. toward the footof the bed from said head and spacedabove the bed, said means includingmeans for supporting the yoke in the latter position so that the weightof a patient may be imposed upon said hand bar in its projectedposition.

2. In a bed, a fixed frame including a head and a foot, a yoke-shapedtrapeze including a. hand loar and a pair of side arms, means connectingsaid trapeze to said fixed frame with said hand bar positionedtransversely of the bed, for movement from an inoperative positionwherein said hand bar extends along the upper edge of said head to aposition wherein said hand bar is projected toward the foot of the bedand spaced above the bed, and reversible motor driven means for movingsaid trapeze between said inoperative and projected positions and forsupporting the trapeze in the projected position so that the weight of apatient may be imposed upon said hand bar.

3. In a bed, a fixed bed frame including a head and a foot, ayoke-shaped trapeze including a hand bar adapted to normally assume aninoperative position lying alongside said head and a. pair of side arms;track means disposed adjacent the side extremities of said head, meansoperating in said track means and attaching the lower ends of said sidearms to said head for vertical movement along the side extremitiesthereof; a pair of arms each pivoted at one end to oneof the uppercorners of said head and at its other end to an intermediate portion ofa respective side arm, and reversible motor-driven means for applyingraising and lowering movements to-the lower ends of said side armswhereby to project said hand bar toward the foot of the bed fromsaidhead and to retract said hand bar back to said inoperative position.

4. In a bed, a fixed frame including a head and a foot, a trapezeincluding a hand bar and means connecting said trapese to said fixedframe with said hand bar disposed transversely of the bed, for bodilyarcuate movement, about an axis transverse to the bed, from aninoperative position wherein said hand bar lies adjacent said head to aposition wherein said hand bar is spaced above the bed and liesintermediate the head and foot of the bed.

5. A bed as defined in claim 4 including reversible motor means formoving said trapeze between said inoperative and projected positions.

6. In a bed, a fixed bed frame, a trapeze including a hand bar and aside arm, and means connecting said trapeze to said fixed bed frame formovement from a positionwherein said trapeze is disposed with said handbar and said side arm lying alongside respective members of said fixedframe, to a position wherein said hand bar is disposed above the bed andintermediate the head and foot of the bed.

'7. In a bed, a fixed frame including a head and a foot, a trapezeincluding a hand bar and a side arm, and means cooperating with saidside arm to attach said trapeze to said fixed frame for movement of thetrapeze from an inoperative position wherein said hand bar lies along ahorizontal upper edge of said head portion and said side arm liesalongside a horizontal part of said fixed frame, to a projected positionwherein said hand bar is spaced above the bed and intermediate said headand the foot of the bed, with said hand bar at all times disposedtransversel of the bed.

8. In a bed, a fixed'frame including a head and a foot and a horizontalframe structure, a yokeshaped trapeze including a hand bar and a sidearm, an end of said side arm being pivoted to said horizontal framestructure for movement of said trapeze from an inoperative positionwherein said hand bar lies adjacent said head and said side arm liesalongside said horizontal frame structure to a projected positionwherein said hand bar is spaced above the bed and lies intermediate thehead and the foot of the bed, With said hand bar at all times disposedtransversely of the bed; andmotormeans for moving said trapeze betweensaid inoperative and projected positions.

9. In a bed, a fixed frame including a head, a foot and horizontal sideframe members, a yokeshaped trapeze including a hand bar and a side armof L-shape, an end of said side arm being pivoted to one of said sideframe members for movement of said trapeze between an inoperativeposition wherein said hand bar lies adjacent the upper edge of saidhead, with a portion of said side arm lying alongside a side edge ofsaid head and another portion of said side arm lying alongside said onehorizontal longitudinal frame member, to a projected position whereinsaid hand bar is spaced above the bed and lies intermediate said headand the foot of the bed; and motor means for moving said trapeze betweensaid inoperative and projected positions.

10. A bed as defined in claim 8 wherein said motor means includes areversible electric motor anchored to said fixed frame, a screwjackoperated by said motor, a shaft journalled in said fixed frame andextending transversely of the bed, and an arm secured to said shaft andlinked to said screwjack, said trapeze arm being secured to an end ofsaid shaft.

11. In a bed, a fixed frame including a head and a foot, a side paneland a longitudinal rail spaced inwardly from said side panel and joinedto said head, a yoke-shaped trapeze including a hand-bar and a side arm,said side arm being accommodated in a space between the side panel andsaid rail, and means connecting said side arm to said fixed frame formovement of said trapeze from a position wherein said hand bar liesadjacent the head of the bed and said side arm lies adjacent said sidepanel, to a projected position wherein said hand bar is spaced above thebed and lies intermediate the head and the foot of the bed. I

12. In a bed, a fixed frame including a head and a foot, a trapezeincluding a hand bar and means connecting said trapeze to said fixedframe with said hand bar positioned transversely of the bed for movementfrom an inoperative position wherein said hand bar lies parallel andadjacent to the upper edge of said head to a position wherein said handbar is spaced above the bed, intermediate the head and foot thereof.

13. In a bed, a fixed frame including a head, a trapeze including a handbar and reversible motor driven means for moving said trapeze between aninoperative position, wherein said hand bar lies alongside a member ofsaid fixed frame, and a projected position, wherein said hand bar isspaced above the bed and extends transversely thereof and for supportingthe trapeze in the projected position so that the weight of a patientmay be imposed upon said hand bar.

14. In a bed, a fixed frame including a head, a trapeze including a handbar, electric motor means for moving said trapeze between an inoperativeposition, in which said hand bar lies alongside a member of said fixedframe, and a projected position, in which said hand bar is spaced abovethe bed and extends transversely thereof, and limit switch mechanism forautomatically deenergizing said motor means at the limits of projectingand retracting movements.

15. In a bed, a fixed frame including a hollow head, a trapeze of yokeshape including a hand bar and a pair of arcuate side arms dependingfrom said hand bar and formed with ratchet teeth, said side arms beingnormally accommodated within said hollow head, and drive mechanismwithin said hollow head including pinions meshing with said ratchetteeth for projecting said trapeze forwardly from said head portion.

16. In a bed, a fixed frame including a hollow head, a trapeze of yokeshape including a hand bar and a pair of arcuate side arms dependingfrom said hand bar and formed with ratchet teeth, said side arms beingnormally accommodated within said hollow head, and guide roller meanscooperating with said side arms to support said trapeze in its projectedposition and facilitate the movement of the trapeze.

17. A bed as defined in claim 8, wherein said motor means is disposedclosely adjacent one end of the bed, and includes a drive shaftextending along said end of the bed to a side thereof and drivetransmitting means extending from the end of said shaft along theaforesaid side of the bed to the pivoted end of said side arm anddrivingly connected thereto.

MARVEL D. BEEM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 522,342 Helander July 3, 1894826,978 Whittington July 24, 1906 892,817 Feely July 7, 1908 1,298,362Lewry Mar. 25, 1919 1,840,170 Neils Jan. 5, 1932 2,057,811 ArmstrongOct. 20, 1936 2,245,381 Dawley June 10, 1941 2,406,480 Tratsch Aug. 27,1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 122,878 Switzerland Oct. 1,1927

